As Day Flies From Moonlight
by Dulcineah
Summary: Post-season finale focusing on Luke and Dean. Lorelai and Rory have gone to Europe with Emily for the summer, leaving behind Luke and Dean to face the consequences of what happened that night. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

As Day Flies From Moonlight By Dulcey  
  
Pairing: Luke/Lorelai and Rory/Dean  
  
Disclaimer: Pretty standard, I own nothing and have nothing worth suing for. Except a huge mass of student loans, so if someone did want to sue me and then pay my loans, I wouldn't be too distraught.  
  
Lyrics are by Rodgers and Hammerstein, from "South Pacific". Which has nothing to do with the plot, this particular song just seemed to fit with the theme of the story. This is set post-finale, but will have more of a focus on Luke and Dean's perspectives. If you like it, please let me know so that I can write more.  
  
One dream in my heart,  
  
One love to be living for,  
  
One love to be living for  
  
This nearly was mine.  
  
One girl for my dream,  
  
One partner in paradise,  
  
This promise of paradise  
  
This nearly was mine.  
  
Close to my heart she came  
  
Only to fly away,  
  
Only to fly as day flies from moonlight  
  
Now, now I'm alone,  
  
Still dreamin' of paradise,  
  
Still sayin' that paradise  
  
Once nearly was mine  
  
---South Pacific, "This Nearly Was Mine"  
  
He heard about it from Lorelai first. He would hear the story again many times over the next few days, in numerous variations and from many people, but there was nothing anyone could say that could make his heart stop like Lorelai's words.  
  
It had taken Luke over twenty minutes to chase down Kirk and bring him back to the inn. He had stopped by his apartment on the way back, to get Kirk a set of his clothes to wear, and he'd spent another five minutes sneaking Kirk around the inn to the back entrance, so the poor guy could put off the town's stares and gossip for another few hours. Finally Kirk was settled safely in his room with Lulu, and Luke was free to look for Lorelai.  
  
She wasn't anywhere around the inn, he realized after half an hour's worth of searching. She wasn't answering her cell phone, and Jason was also nowhere to be found. Either Lorelai had forgotten something at home and had gone to retrieve it, or her ex had talked her into taking him back, and they were together at this very moment. But she couldn't be with him, because she'd told him she wasn't, and because she'd kissed him back and even though Lorelai Gilmore drove him crazy and drank way more coffee than could ever be healthy for a human being, he'd believed her when she said that her relationship was over and he knew that she wasn't with him now.  
  
So that left Lorelai's house as the most likely place where she could be. Luke hesitated for a moment, then started to walk. He'd come to far to stop now.  
  
He found Lorelai sitting alone on her porch, huddled under a blanket and hugging her knees to her chest. Luke approached her hesitantly, and when he got to the porch stairs he could see from her expression that something was definitely not okay here.  
  
"Hi," he said quietly.  
  
"Hi," she replied. Her eyes were red, but her voice was level and he knew that whatever had upset her, she was done crying for the moment.  
  
"Can I sit down?" he asked. She nodded and he sunk down on the bench next to her. "I've been looking for you."  
  
"Rory slept with Dean." She said it so calmly, like it was something that happened every day.  
  
Luke knew now why she looked so upset. "Whoa. What?"  
  
"I came to the house to look for Rory and I saw her come out of her room," Lorelai continued in that same calm, level tone. "With Dean."  
  
"Maybe it wasn't what it looked like," Luke suggested, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of what Lorelai was telling him. "Maybe—"  
  
Lorelai shook her head. "They did. She told me."  
  
Luke felt a surge of anger towards Dean, followed quickly by guilt. He suddenly remembered the night before Dean's wedding, and what Dean had said before he'd fallen into a drunken sleep. Luke had never told anyone about what happened, and he wondered now if he should have. Maybe if he had, this wouldn't have happened. Dean wouldn't have married Lindsay, or maybe he would have but things still would have been different enough so that Rory hadn't slept with her married ex, and Lorelai wasn't sitting here two feet from him with that awful hurt look in her eyes.  
  
He realized that Lorelai was still waiting for his response. He didn't know what to say. "Wow."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. Wow is right."  
  
"Is Rory okay?" He wanted to ask if Lorelai was okay, to get her to talk to him and let it all out because he could see she was hurting and that she didn't want him to know how much. And that hurt, to be here with her and to know that just an hour ago he had been kissing her, but she still didn't trust him enough to let him know what she was really feeling.  
  
Although you're really one to talk, Luke Danes, he though to himself. How long have you loved this woman, and how long did it take you to tell her how you really felt?  
  
Actually, he hadn't actually told her yet. He'd just kissed her. Not exactly the same thing. And he sensed that with everything that had happened with Rory and Dean, the last thing Lorelai wanted was a Hallmark moment where he declared his everlasting love for her.  
  
She was talking now, about how Rory was obviously upset, and things were a little rocky between the two of them but she thought they would be okay. And Rory had gone upstairs to sleep in Lorelai's bed and in the morning they would talk some more, and although she could still change her mind Rory would most likely be going to Europe with her grandmother for the summer. "And I know it sounds crazy," Lorelai continued, "but I think I'm going to go too."  
  
Luke felt his jaw drop. He hadn't expected this. "But you hate your parents!"  
  
"I don't hate my parents!" Lorelai bristled, her tone becoming defensive. "We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things and yes, they drive me crazy but I don't hate them!"  
  
Luke held up his hands. "I'm sorry. You just surprised me, that's all."  
  
Lorelai sighed. "I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just been a stressful evening."  
  
Luke took a chance and picked up her hand, holding it between both of his. "I understand."  
  
"I know, you must think I'm insane," Lorelai continued. "I mean, if you asked me yesterday I'd have told you that I'd rather have brain surgery with a pickaxe than spend a month in Europe with my mother. But I need to get away and get some space so I can think about everything. I'm glad you understand."  
  
Luke dropped her hand, feeling hurt. "I understand why you snapped at me. Not why you suddenly want to go to Europe. Don't you have the Dragonfly to run?"  
  
"I'd be here for the opening, and Sookie and Michel can run it without me for six weeks," Lorelai argued. "They'll be fine."  
  
Luke summoned all his courage. "Does this decision have anything to do with what happened with us tonight?"  
  
Lorelai caught his eye, then looked away. "Luke, please don't take this the wrong way—"  
  
"So it does." He dropped his head, hoping Lorelai couldn't see how crushed he felt.  
  
"Luke, listen to me," Lorelai pleaded, placing a hand on his arm. "I care about you and right now I'm so messed up that I'd eventually do something really stupid or maybe a lot of little stupid things that would wreck everything between us. And then there's Rory. She needs me right now, Luke."  
  
"I know she does," he said quietly. "And if that's how you feel, then there's not much else I can say."  
  
"Luke, you mean so much to me," she said softly. "I'm not saying that I don't have feelings for you, I just need some time to think so that I don't end up ruining everything like I've done with every other relationship I've ever had."  
  
"I understand," he said again. And he did. It was breaking his heart, but he understood why she needed to go. "So when are you leaving?"  
  
Lorelai slipped her hand into his. "I haven't talked to my mother, but soon, I suppose. Maybe in a couple of days."  
  
Luke squeezed her hand, then stood up to go. "I'll see you when you get back, then."  
  
"Absolutely," Lorelai agreed.  
  
He bent down and kissed her, wondering when or if he would be able to kiss her again. "Goodbye, Lorelai."  
  
"Goodbye Luke," she whispered.  
  
He smiled at her, then turned to leave. He didn't look back as he walked away toward his apartment, but he knew she was watching him. 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes:  
  
Wow, thanks for the feedback! I'm still new to the GG fanfiction scene, and this is my first Luke/Lorelai, so I'm glad so many people seem to like it. Special thanks to LilYellowDucky20, SlayerKitty00, Lula Bo, JanieSternin, Daisy Deertree, smile1, netherfield, and Luke Rules for your reviews. I know it seems a bit unusual to have Lorelai go to Europe too, especially right after the Dragonfly's opening, but I wanted to put a different twist on this story, as well as have some time to develop the whole Luke/Dean relationship.  
  
Enough of my ramblings, enjoy the next chapter and please review if you like it!

Dean was over halfway home before he realized that he'd left his wedding ring at Rory's. It was too late to go back for it now—Lorelai surely knew everything by now, and he didn't feel like facing her rage at this time of night. Or even worse, her disappointment. The look on her face was enough to overwhelm him with guilt, and the worst part was that would only be the first of many reactions he'd have to face.  
  
He wasn't looking forward to the scene with Lindsay. He had to tell her what had happened—even if he'd wanted to hide tonight's events from her, the chances of doing so in a little town like Stars Hollow were virtually impossible. It would be all over by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, and he'd already hurt Lindsay enough. All he could do for her now was to tell her himself.  
  
And in spite of everything that had happened, of the hurt and pain he'd left behind and face in front of him, there was still a part of him that felt...well, happy. Not happy that he had disappointed Lorelai or hurt both Rory and Lindsay, but a part of him that could still feel Rory's soft skin beneath his hands, and taste her lips on his. He still loved her. He'd never stopped loving her. Whatever it was, and whatever he was feeling, there was still part of tonight's events that felt right to him.  
  
Lindsay was awake and waiting for him when he got home. Somehow he wasn't surprised. She'd been crying. Again, he wasn't surprised.  
  
"Rory called." Her voice faltered, and she wiped a tear from her cheek.  
  
"Oh, Lindsay." He hated himself for the pain in her voice, and for knowing that he'd put it there. "Lindsay, I'm so sorry."  
  
"She didn't say anything," Lindsay continued. "She hung up when she heard my voice, but I saw it was her on the Caller ID, and it didn't take much for me to put two and two together.  
  
"You're having an affair with her." There wasn't any accusation in her voice, or suspicion, just a plain statement.  
  
Dean swallowed. "Yes."  
  
His wife's eyes filled with tears. "How long has this been going on?"  
  
"Tonight was the first time. I swear." He realized how little comfort that offered. It didn't make any difference if he'd just been with Rory tonight, or for the last six months. What mattered was how he felt about her, and that was undoubtedly the next question Lindsay was going to ask.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
And there it was. Dean looked away, unable to face her. "Yes."  
  
The tears that had been glistening in Lindsay's eyes during the whole conversation now began to spill down her cheeks. "Did you ever love me?"  
  
Oh, God, how could he answer this? What could he possibly say that wouldn't hurt her any more than he already had? "Of course I did. It's just..."  
  
"You never got over Rory, did you?" Lindsay finished. "We never stood a chance, did we?"  
  
"Lindsay, I'm so sorry," he told her. "None of this is your fault. I screwed up, and I hate that I've hurt you like this."  
  
She held up her hand. The tears were still silently sliding down her cheeks. "Dean, please, there's nothing you can say to me right now that's going to change how I'm feeling."  
  
"I know." He nodded. "I'll go get my things."  
  
Ten minutes later he was out the door. He had three changes of underwear, his toothbrush, and an extra shirt in his backpack. His parents had changed his room into a study after he'd married Lindsay, and while he knew they wouldn't mind his sleeping on the couch for the night, he didn't feel up to explaining everything to them right now.  
  
He couldn't sleep anyhow. He was way too awake to sleep, or to do anything. He wanted to talk to Rory, to make sure that she was all right but she wasn't answering her cell phone and he didn't feel brave enough to try her home number. But he wanted—no, he needed—to know that she was all right, and so he found himself walking down that familiar path to the Gilmore house. He could tap on her window if her light was on, or at least leave a note for her. Or even talk to her mother. He was probably Lorelai's least favorite person in the world right now, but she would let Rory know that he'd come by, that he'd asked for her.  
  
Rory's light was off when he got there, but Lorelai's was on. Dean stood at the end of the driveway, watching the rectangle of light up on the second floor and wondering what he should do. Ringing the doorbell didn't seem like such a good idea, and he wasn't sure if Rory wanted to see him right now. He decided to leave a note, and slipped off his backpack to search for a pen and a scrap of paper.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and Dean whirled around to face a very large, very scary Luke.  
  
"I was just—I mean—"Dean paused. "Hey, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
"I'll only tell you what I'm doing here if you tell me what you're doing here."  
  
"You're here to see Rory, aren't you?" Luke asked. "At least, that had better be why you're here."  
  
Dean stared at him. "You know, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I know," Luke growled. "Lorelai told me all about what happened with you and Rory this evening."  
  
"You don't know all of it," Dean insisted. "There's a lot you don't..." He broke off. "Why did Lorelai tell you?"  
  
Now it was Luke who looked flustered. "She just—I mean, we're friends and—"  
  
"How did you know she'd come home?" Dean continued. "Why did you come over to see her?"  
  
"That's none of your business!" Luke bristled.  
  
"I've seen the way you look at her," Dean continued. "I know you brought her flowers today. Come on, Luke, you can't tell me that it was just friendly concern that brought you here."  
  
"All right!" Luke exclaimed, frustrated. "I'll tell you if you'll tell me."  
  
"Fine," Dean agreed. "You go first."  
  
"Why do I have to go first?" Luke complained.  
  
"Okay, fine," Dean groaned. "I wanted to make sure Rory was all right."  
  
Luke's face softened a bit. "I wanted to make sure Lorelai was all right."  
  
"You love her, don't you?" Dean continued.  
  
"Yeah," Luke admitted. "I do."  
  
"And I love Rory," Dean confessed.  
  
"I know," Luke told him. "You told me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"On the night before your wedding," Luke continued. "When you stayed over at my place, after your friends had taken you out drinking. You told me you loved her."  
  
"Wow." Dean shook his head. "I wish you'd told me."  
  
Luke looked grim. "So do I."  
  
"It's not your fault, though," Dean went on. "What happened tonight was my fault, not anyone else's."  
  
"Are you going to tell Lindsay?" Luke asked.  
  
Dean nodded. "I already told her. Hence the backpack."  
  
"Got anywhere to stay tonight?" Luke asked.  
  
Dean raised an eyebrow. "Is that an invitation?"  
  
"Just for tonight," Luke hastened to clarify. "And only because you really do love Rory."  
  
"Got it." Dean put his backpack back on and followed Luke back to town. 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes:  
  
First of all, thanks to Nyla, Lula Bo, smile1, JanieSternin, Daisy Deertree, LOTRluva, and Ashlyn for your kind words and encouragement. It seriously makes me way too happy that people are both reading and enjoying what I'm writing.  
  
Ashlyn—it's definitely okay with me if you want to put up a link to this story. I'm really flattered. ;)  
  
More Dean-focus in this chapter. Next chapter will most likely be Luke. As always, I don't own Gilmore Girls, nothing is mine except the plot, and please don't sue. Reviews rock my world!  
  
It was past ten o'clock when Dean woke up the next morning. There was no sign of Luke in the apartment, which made sense. He must have been up hours ago. Dean stretched and rubbed his eyes, but made no move to get out of bed.  
  
Strange to think that he'd spent the night at Luke's, or that it had happened before. For a moment he allowed himself to remember that morning seven months ago when he'd woken up in this exact same bed on the day of his wedding to Lindsay. In that case, he hadn't been able to remember much of the previous night's events—something about drinking beer with his friends, and having a few too many, and Luke leading him upstairs and taking off his shoes as Dean had collapsed on the bed.  
  
This time, however, he was able to remember the previous evening with almost painful accuracy. He could recall how Rory's lips had tasted like raspberries, and how her hair smelled like jasmine, and the hurt in Lindsay's eyes when he'd told her what he'd done. It had been the most wonderful and the most terrible night of his life, and although he'd already confessed his actions to Lindsay, he was by no means finished with dealing with the consequences.  
  
Dean rolled out of bed and found his backpack where he'd placed it next to the sofa the night before. He really wanted to take a shower, but didn't feel like he had the right to make himself that much at home here so he settled on a change of clothes and washing his face with soap and cold water. He had just finished when Luke entered the apartment, and without a word set down a plate of pancakes on the table.  
  
Dean tried not to look too surprised. "Wow, thanks Luke."  
  
Luke brushed aside his thanks. "I just thought you'd be hungry."  
  
"I am," Dean assured him. "And I appreciate it."  
  
"No problem," Luke shrugged. "I should get back downstairs."  
  
"Hey, wait a minute," Dean insisted. Luke turned around and looked at him. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Damn. He hadn't meant to sound so accusing.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
How could he say this without making things worse? "It's just that...I always got the impression that you hated me, that's all."  
  
Luke looked away, then looked back at him. "I don't hate you."  
  
"I suppose you wouldn't have let me stay over or made me pancakes if you did," Dean agreed. "You're right. I'm sorry."  
  
"I really should get back." And with that, Luke gave him a final nod and disappeared back downstairs to the diner.  
  
Dean pulled up a chair to the table and began tearing into the pancakes. They were good and he was starving, not having eaten anything since an early dinner the night before. When he was through he took his dishes over to the sink, and after a moment's consideration washed them and put them to dry in the dishrack. His cell phone was still in his jacket pocket, and he took it out and thought for a moment before taking a deep breath and dialing Rory's number.  
  
She picked up on the first ring. "Dean?"  
  
He hadn't expected this. He'd planned on leaving a message, which would give him a little more time to think. Too late now. "Hi, Rory."  
  
There was a long pause. This was not a good sign. "This is weird, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah," Dean admitted. "Yeah, it is. Uh, Rory, about last night—"  
  
"I got you in trouble, didn't I? Dean, I'm so sorry," Rory rambled. "I wasn't thinking clearly and I'd just fought with my mom and I didn't' mean to call your house instead of your cell and then when Lindsay picked up I freaked out and—"  
  
"I know," Dean interrupted. "And Lindsay knows. I told her last night."  
  
There was another pause on Rory's end of the phone. "You told her?"  
  
"I told her and I moved out," he continued. "Well, I'm not officially moved out yet, I still have to go back and get all my stuff, but Luke let me crash at his place last night, and today I'm going to go tell my parents and I'm sure they'll let me move back in with them for awhile."  
  
"Wow. I didn't think...wow."  
  
"I'm sorry," Dean apologized. "I've been rambling on about myself and I meant to call you and see if you were okay."  
  
"I'm okay," she answered, even though she didn't sound okay. "I've got a lot of thinking to do."  
  
His heart sunk, and he tried to tell himself not to be surprised. He hadn't expected her to be over the moon simply because he'd separated from Lindsay. "Okay. Will you call me in a couple of days?"  
  
"I can't," she said, and his heart sunk even more. "I mean, I'm not going to be here."  
  
"You're not going to be here?"  
  
Rory sighed. "My grandma offered a couple of days ago to take me to Europe this summer if I wanted to go. And I called her this morning and took her up on it."  
  
"Okay," Dean managed to reply, grateful he could speak at all.  
  
"I need to get away from Stars Hollow for awhile," Rory explained. "I have to decide what I want to do, and I think that going to Europe will give me some perspective on that."  
  
"All right," Dean agreed. "But I want to tell you that last night wasn't some meaningless fling to me. I told Lindsay because I realized it wasn't fair of me to be with her when I'm in love with someone else."  
  
"Dean..." Rory's voice was shaky, and he realized that she was crying.  
  
"Can I at least see you before you go?" he pressed on. "I'd like to talk with you in person."  
  
"I can't," she replied. "We're leaving for Europe early tomorrow morning, so Mom and I are driving to Hartford tonight and staying over."  
  
"Your mom's going too?" He hadn't seen that one coming, not with what he knew about Lorelai's relationship with her mother.  
  
"I have to go." She paused for a moment. "I'll write to you."  
  
Her words lit a faint flicker of hope in him. Maybe there was still hope for them yet. "Thanks, Rory. I love you."  
  
"Goodbye, Dean," she whispered, and then she hung up.  
  
She hadn't said it back, but he understood. It still hurt, though. God, did it hurt.  
  
He put his cell phone back in his jacket pocket and trudged downstairs. 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes:  
  
Thanks to Lula Bo, Nyla, and Daisy Deertree for reviewing my last chapter. This next one, as promised, Luke/Lorelai. As long as people are reading, I'll keep writing.  
  
It was funny, Luke thought, how the world went on as if nothing had happened. He poured coffee and flipped burgers and listened to the story of Kirk's midnight run through the town square at least a dozen times over the course of the day. Normally he would have been annoyed at having to hear the same story over and over. Today, he was just relieved.  
  
He never thought he'd be grateful to Kirk. That was another funny thing. But having something to talk about kept the townspeople busy, and Luke didn't have to worry as much that someone would bring up his giving Lorelai flowers, or why Lindsay and Dean were splitting up. Though they would know about Dean soon. News traveled fast in a town as small as Stars Hollow, and Lindsay was so hurt and upset that the truth was bound to come out eventually. He didn't envy Dean one bit, poor kid.  
  
And there it was, funny thing number three. Normally he would have been furious that Dean had hurt Lindsay, who seemed like a nice girl from the little he knew about her, and Rory as well. Hell, Luke had gotten into an all out brawl with the kid three years ago when he had broken up with Rory the first time. He'd told Lorelai over and over, Dean was trouble.  
  
But the thing was, he wasn't. Looking back, Luke had to admit that he'd misjudged Dean. Yes, he had his faults, and he'd screwed up royally last night, but beneath that he had a good heart and no matter what he'd done, he honestly loved Rory Gilmore. And in a way, Luke felt like he could relate to him. Dean knew what it was like to love a Gilmore girl. He knew what it was like to get his heart broken by one, and he would miss Rory every bit as much as Luke would miss Lorelai.  
  
Luke closed up early, sending Cesar and Lane home so he could have a few moments to himself while he wiped down the tables and put the chairs up. He thought about Lorelai, and how he'd met her on a night just like this one, nineteen years ago. She had come in for coffee while he was closing, he'd told her that he'd stopped serving for the night, and she had promptly burst into tears.  
  
It had been a horrible day, she had told him. A guest at the inn had yelled at her for throwing out some papers he had left lying on the floor, and her baby had colic and had cried all night, and she had five dollars left for food and another week to go until payday. And now the diner was closed and she couldn't even get a cup of coffee.  
  
Luke had wanted to point out that drinking coffee at eight o'clock at night was hardly the best way to unwind, but she looked so young and so embarrassed to have been crying that he let her in, set down a chair for her, and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She tried to pay him and he waived her money away, although he let her know that the free coffee was a one time deal. Absolutely, positively a one time deal. She laughed, and by the time she had finished her first cup she was looking a lot better.  
  
By the time she left half an hour later, Luke had learned that the girl's name was Lorelai Gilmore, she was seventeen and from Hartford, and she had a six month old daughter named Rory. She was vague when Luke asked about her life in Hartford, and when he added that to the fact that she was so young, alone with a baby, he got the sense that her parents hadn't taken her pregnancy too well. But she had a job and a place to live over at the Independence Inn, so he supposed she was all right. He did insist that she take a basket of muffins with her when she went, arguing that he would end up throwing them out if she didn't take them. For a minute, she looked like she was going to refuse, and then she gave in and accepted them, giving him a beautiful, grateful smile that made him remind himself very firmly that she was only seventeen.  
  
That was his first meeting with Lorelai Gilmore.  
  
A tap on the door interrupted his thoughts. He knew it was Lorelai before he even looked, and sure enough, there she was. Older than that first time, definitely, and her baby girl had grown up and slept with a married man last night. She looked tired, and worried, but then she smiled and she was that same girl who came into his life seventeen years ago demanding coffee.  
  
Luke let her in, and for a moment they stood there in silence. Lorelai's eyes met his, and then looked away. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." He could feel his heart pounding and desperately hoped that Lorelai couldn't hear it too. "I thought you were on your way to Europe."  
  
"I am," she replied. "I mean, I was. Rory and I drove to Hartford, and our flight leaves at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."  
  
Luke glanced at the clock that hung on the diner wall. Ten past eight. "That's pretty soon."  
  
"I know," Lorelai groaned, sinking into a chair and burying her face in her hands. "And I don't know, and I wish someone would just tell me what to do because everything feels wrong to me!"  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Luke insisted, pulling her back up to a standing position and wrapping his arms around her. She cried onto his shoulder as he rubbed her back, still amazed at the fact that he was allowed to hold her like this, after all those years of longing.  
  
She finally pulled back and gave him a shaky smile. "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do, Luke. Part of me wants to run away to Europe and never come back and part of me wants to stay right here and see what might happen with us tomorrow."  
  
His heart leapt at her words and for a brief, wonderful moment he knew he could talk her into staying. With a few simple words he could have an entire summer with just the two of them, and it wouldn't matter if everyone in this little town talked of nothing else. He had the next three months right there for his taking.  
  
And then there was the flip side, that damn little voice of logic in his head that frequently reminded him that things wouldn't be as perfect as he was imagining. He had known Lorelai for seventeen years, half of her lifetime and a good chunk of his as well. He had seen her boyfriends come and go, and while he wanted to believe that it was simply because those guys hadn't been right for her, he knew that in many of those cases Lorelai had ran from the relationship before it had a chance because she was afraid. Luke knew she'd broken the heart of that teacher from Rory's school that she'd been engaged to, and that she had been devastated when Rory's father had gone back to his girlfriend. He knew that if Lorelai stayed, they would have a blissful summer together, but he also knew that she would panic when Rory returned from Europe, and that old habits died hard.  
  
She was still in his arms, looking at him with those beautiful pleading eyes. He began to speak but she pressed her finger to his lips. "I know. I have to go, don't I?"  
  
He could still stop her, if he wanted to. She would stay if he asked her to. But he knew what would happen if she did. His only chance was to let her go, and trust that she would come back. And then there was Rory. Rory was hurting, and he knew that Lorelai's first concern would always be her daughter.  
  
Luke swallowed and gave a very brief, faint nod. "Yes."  
  
She hugged him again and brushed her lips against his. "I'll write," she promised. She kissed him once more and then she was gone. Luke stood by the door and watched her walk away, wondering if he had done the right thing. 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's notes:  
  
First of all, thanks to Daisy Deertree, ilovemrbloom, smile1, SGOU, OTHlover04, Leni, Nyla, and JanieSternin for your reviews. This next chapter is more focused on developing the Luke/Dean friendship, so I hope it's not too boring. Miss Patty is in this part thanks to Leni's suggestion, and I hope it doesn't disappoint! Thanks for reading!

Dean and Lindsay's split became big news in Stars Hollow three days later, after tales of Kirk's midnight escapade had been told so often that they ceased to be a source of entertainment. Stars Hollow needed something new to gossip about, and they got it in spades after a confrontation at the Dragonfly between Dean and Lindsay's mother. According to Miss Patty, who had heard about the incident from Taylor, who had witnessed the scene, Mrs. Lister marched upstairs where Dean was working on sanding some cabinet doors, backed him against the wall, and informed him that he had broken her daughter's heart and that Lindsay had always been too good for him. Dean hadn't bothered to reply, simply listening to the rest of Mrs. Lister's accusations, occasionally giving a brief nod. At the end of her speech, she had icily wished him the best of luck with "that Gilmore slut". At that point, Taylor had leapt to Rory's defense, while Dean took the opportunity to slip out unnoticed.  
  
"I just don't understand it," Miss Patty sighed as she sank down into a chair to give her order to Cesar. "I can't believe that sweet little Rory would do such a thing."  
  
"I think it was that Dean," Taylor replied. "That boy's been nothing but trouble ever since he moved her. Remember how crushed she was when he broke up with her three years ago? And now he's done the same thing to poor Lindsay too."  
  
"I can't believe it," Miss Patty murmured. "Poor, poor Lindsay."  
  
"Poor Lindsay and poor Rory!" Babette interjected. "To think that Dean could have been so cruel to both those sweet girls!"  
  
Luke stood behind the counter, pouring coffee into Kirk's cup and trying not to listen to the conversation that was going on six feet away. He'd known that the town would find out eventually, and that no one was likely to criticize Lindsay or Rory. After all, Lindsay was the pretty young bride whose husband had been caught cheating on her not a year after their wedding, and Rory was....well, Rory was perfect to the people of Stars Hollow. Which left Dean to suffer the wrath of the townspeople.  
  
"I'm sure it couldn't have been Rory's fault," Miss Patty insisted. "She would never do anything like that."  
  
"You're absolutely right," Taylor agreed. "And to think I employed that boy at my store for all those years. I never would have done it if I'd known what a louse he was."  
  
"That's enough, Taylor," Luke interrupted.  
  
"Excuse me?" Taylor asked, confused. "I wasn't aware that you were part of this conversation."  
  
"You heard me, Taylor," Luke insisted. "Lay off of Dean."  
  
"Oh, but Luke," Babette protested. "Surely you're not saying that what he did was right, are you?"  
  
"Of course I'm not," Luke replied. "He made a stupid, thoughtless mistake. But cut him some slack. He's just a kid."  
  
"Luke, that's no excuse," Taylor insisted. "Stars Hollow does not condone adultery."  
  
"I'm not saying that Dean didn't do something wrong," Luke continued. "But it's not entirely his fault. Rory was in on this too. Dean couldn't have cheated without Rory going along with it."  
  
"Now listen here," Taylor growled. "Rory Gilmore has lived in this town for almost her entire life. She is Stars Hollow's most valuable asset and I'm not about to sit here and listen to you talk that way about a girl who isn't even here to defend herself."  
  
"Taylor, I know how much Rory means to this town," Luke replied. "And I know what a brilliant and beautiful young woman she is. But she's not perfect. No one is. Rory made a mistake, just like Dean did, and I don't think it's fair to make Dean take all the blame."  
  
"I still say you're crazy," Taylor grumbled, but he was quiet after that. And although the residents of Stars Hollow still gossiped about Rory Gilmore and Dean Forester, the town's attitude wasn't as fiercely anti-Dean as it was before.  
  
Speaking of Dean, Luke hadn't seen him since the story got out. He was likely laying low, and Luke couldn't really blame him. He'd come by the diner a couple of days ago, to get a few items he'd left at Luke's apartment, and to thank him for letting him stay that first night. But it had been several days since Luke had seen him, and he was starting to worry in spite of himself.  
  
He stopped by Dean's house that night after closing up the diner. Dean's father was cool and distant with him at first, but when Luke gave his name, Mr. Forester shook his hand and said that Dean had told him how Luke had helped him that night. Dean wasn't at home, but he spent a lot of time down at the garage working on building another car. Luke could probably find him there.  
  
And sure enough, Dean was there, busily examining the engine of what looked to be a '66 Corvette. Very nice car, Luke thought to himself. He knocked on the wall next to him, and felt guilty as Dean startled, hitting his head on the hood of the car.  
  
"Sorry," Luke apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"Hi," Dean grinned, looking genuinely happy to see him. "What brings you here?"  
  
Why was he here? Luke scrambled for an answer. "I...uh, I wanted to see how you were holding up. I know there's been a lot of talk around the town lately."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Dean nodded. "I heard about you sticking up for me in front of Taylor and Miss Patty. Thanks."  
  
"Sure." Luke shrugged aside the thanks. "So how's it going?"  
  
"Okay, I guess," Dean muttered, returning his attention to the car engine. "I still feel like a dog for what I did to Lindsay."  
  
"I'm sure the constant reminders don't help."  
  
"They're not so bad," Dean shrugged. "I deserve a lot worse for what I did."  
  
"You can't change what happened," Luke insisted. "You're always going to wonder if you did the wrong thing, but worrying over it isn't going to change anything."  
  
"You're right," Dean agreed. "Thanks."  
  
Luke shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering where to go from here. "No problem."  
  
"Hey, I'm going to get a beer, do you want one?" Dean offered. "My dad's got a couple boxes in the fridge."  
  
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you underage?"  
  
Dean groaned. "Aw, man, are you a stickler like Taylor?"  
  
The last thing Luke wanted to be was like Taylor. "Well," he started, "I suppose my conscience wouldn't bother me too much if I didn't know you weren't twenty-one."  
  
"Right," Dean grinned. "Don't ask, don't tell?"  
  
"Definitely," Luke agreed. He caught the bottle Dean tossed to him, twisted off the cap, and leaned against the side of the car, sipping thoughtfully. "So have you heard anything from Rory?"  
  
Dean shook his head. "She said she'd write, but it's only been a couple of days. What about you and Lorelai?"  
  
Luke shook his head. "Nothing yet."  
  
"They'll write," Dean assured him. "I have a feeling they will."  
  
Luke continued to sip his beer and wished that he had Dean's confidence. 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating this. I've got an idea of how this is going to play out, finally, and I'm hoping to have the story complete before the S5 premiere. Thanks to Daisy Deertree, Nyla, smile1, and OTHlover04 for your reviews. 

My apologies for the abrupt ending, but I hope to have the next part out soon.

* * *

The letter came a week later. It was addressed to him at his parent's house, and Dean couldn't help thinking how well Rory knew him, that she knew he'd let Lindsay keep their apartment and that he had taken up temporary residence back at home. And he was touched that she still remembered his address after all these years.  
  
It had been a difficult week, with the town still gossiping about him and Rory. He wasn't receiving quite as many dirty looks as he had before, thanks to Luke, but it was still hard to know that the entire town was talking about him. The Dragonfly had officially opened two days ago, and while it had been an exciting occasion for Stars Hollow, it did mean that his job working there was almost over. He'd have to find something else within a couple of weeks if he wanted to go back to school in the fall, and he couldn't quite imagine anyone in this town actually hiring him after what had happened.  
  
And then there was the legal stuff. Lindsay's family was furious with him, and he'd been really worried for awhile that he would lose his shirt in their divorce. It was his fault that the marriage was ending, and it was entirely possible that he could be paying Lindsay a huge chunk of alimony for a long time. Part of him wouldn't mind that—it would help ease the guilt he felt over what he'd done—but then he could kiss college goodbye.  
  
The letter from Rory was the only good thing to happen to him all summer, and yet he was afraid to open it. He was afraid of what she would have to say to him, that he would tear open the envelope only to read that what had happened between them was a mistake on her part, and she had only thought she'd loved him. He carried the unopened letter around in his back pocket all day, and it wasn't until that night before his curiosity got the better of him and he finally tore it open.  
  
_Dear Dean,  
  
I've had the hardest time writing this letter to you. Every time I start, it sounds so stupid to me that I end up throwing the letter away and starting over. I used up all the stationary in my room, so I had to sneak into Grandma's room and steal hers. I'm going to pretend that I'm not going to send this to you, and maybe it'll be easier for me to write.  
  
I hope you're doing okay in Stars Hollow. It wasn't very fair of me to run off to Europe and leave you to deal with everything. I've done a lot of things that weren't fair to you, and it's only now that I'm beginning to realize how much I hurt you. I never meant to do that. You made me so happy and I made you miserable. You loved me and I broke your heart. You never deserved any of that, Dean, and I'm so sorry.  
  
London has been nice, and we're off to Paris tomorrow. Travelling with Grandma is so different from traveling with Mom. You wouldn't believe the suite we're staying in. I honestly believe it's bigger than my house. And the strangest thing is that Mom and Grandma haven't been fighting. I wouldn't go as far as to say they're getting along, but I've never seen them last longer than a few hours without getting into some sort of argument, and it's been over a week. They've both been rather distracted, which might be why. I'm sure Grandma's thinking about Grandpa—I know she misses him, but she won't admit it. And Mom, I don't know what she's thinking about. I've asked, but she won't tell me.  
  
I wish I could talk to you, Dean. I miss you a lot.  
  
Rory  
  
_ Dean read the letter twice, trying to discern if Rory had hidden any clues that he hadn't picked up. She hadn't said much in terms of what she wanted or what she'd decided. She'd apologized for hurting him, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. But the last two lines gave him hope. She missed him. She wanted to talk to him. That had to be good, right?  
  
He needed to talk to someone about this. Maybe Luke hadn't closed up for the night yet.

* * *

Luke had closed up, but his light was on upstairs. Dean paused for a moment, but he really wanted to talk to someone, and Luke was the only person he trusted to understand. He picked up a couple of pebbles and tossed them at Luke's window. On his third attempt he finally had some success.  
  
"Hey!" Luke grumbled, opening the window and squinting out into the darkness. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Sorry," Dean apologized.  
  
Luke peered down at him. "Dean?"  
  
"I can come back tomorrow," Dean offered. "Are you busy?"  
  
Luke sighed. "No, it's okay. I'll be right down."  
  
Five minutes later they were sitting on the front step in front of the diner. "I have to say," Luke teased, "of all the people I imagined knocking on my window, you weren't exactly one of them."  
  
Dean grinned. "You were hoping for a certain tall gorgeous Gilmore, weren't you?"  
  
Luke blushed, thankful it was dark and that Dean couldn't see. "That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"  
  
"Not exactly," Dean admitted. "I got a letter from Rory today."  
  
"Wow." Luke was quiet for a moment. "What did she say?"  
  
Dean shrugged. "Um, the hotel is nice, Lorelai's acting strange, and she misses me."  
  
"Lorelai's acting strange?" Luke interrupted. "Did she say why?"  
  
Dean shook his head. "She said she didn't know. I don't think she knows about you and Lorelai."  
  
Luke thought for a moment, trying to make sense out of what Dean had told him. Trying to hope. Trying not to hope. "Is that bad?"  
  
"I know it's unusual," Dean offered. "Rory said that Lorelai isn't fighting with her mother."  
  
"Wow," Luke replied. "That is unusual."  
  
"I hate how we have to wait here until they make up their minds," Dean complained. "It's really not fair."  
  
"You're right, it's not," Luke agreed. "Why are we doing this?"  
  
"Because we love them," Dean answered. "It's hard, isn't it?"  
  
Luke groaned. "Tell me about it."  
  
"I wish I could talk to Rory," Dean continued. "Even if it's just for a few minutes. I'd feel a lot better if I could just hear her voice."  
  
Luke looked thoughtful. "I think I might have an idea." 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes:  
  
Okay, I lied about getting the next chapter out soon. But here it is, better late than never, right? Thanks to ilovemrbloom, Daisy Deertree, dork1147, Nyla, Drowning in Misery, smile1, and JsparrowzMate13 for your reviews and words of encouragement.  
  
I'm looking for a beta for this piece. If anyone is interested, or has any suggestions as to where I could find one, please let me know.

* * *

Dean showed up at the diner promptly at nine the following evening. Luke let him in, took the phone from its place behind the counter, and set it in front of him. He took a scrap of paper out of his shirt pocket and slid it across the counter to Dean. "Here. Give Rory a call."  
  
Dean's gaze flickered from the paper to Luke's face. "How did you get this?"  
  
"I have my ways," Luke replied mysteriously.  
  
Dean's jaw dropped. "Lorelai gave it to you? You never told me Lorelai gave you her itinerary!"  
  
Luke's face fell. "She didn't. I got it from Babette."  
  
Dean winced. "I'm sorry."  
  
"You didn't do anything. Don't be sorry."  
  
"You got it from Babette, huh?" Dean grinned, shaking his head. "What did you tell her?"  
  
Luke raised his eyebrow. "Do you really want to know?"  
  
"I don't know," Dean laughed. "Do I?"  
  
"It's not that spectacular," Luke admitted. "I just told her that I had something very important to discuss with Lorelai and I needed to get in touch with her."  
  
"You do realize that that's going to be all over town by tomorrow afternoon, don't you?" Dean asked.  
  
"I wouldn't have bothered if I'd known that you were more interested in tormenting me than talking to Rory," Luke grumbled.  
  
"Okay, you're right," Dean agreed. He drew a deep breath, picked up the receiver, and punched in the numbers. The phone began to ring, and he slammed the receiver back down. "You do realize this is going to be an insanely expensive international call, don't you?"  
  
Luke picked up the receiver and handed it to him. "I realize. Dial."  
  
Once again, Dean dialed the number. The phone rang three times, and was picked up by someone with a thick British accent. "Thank you for calling the Ritz-Carlton, how may I direct your call?"  
  
"Uh," Dean stammered. "Uh, do you have a Rory Gilmore staying there?"  
  
"One moment, please." A long pause. "We have a Ms. Gilmore in Room 1423. Shall I connect you?"  
  
Dean swallowed. "Yes, please."  
  
"One moment, sir." Another pause, this one even longer.  
  
The phone rang. Dean felt his heart pounding in his ears. The ringing stopped. "Hello?" The voice was most definitely not Rory's, or even Lorelai's with a bad cold. Dean had only met Rory's grandmother a handful of times, but he recognized Emily's voice and she did not sound pleased. "Hello, who is this?"  
  
"Shit!" he yelped. He attempted to slam down the receiver again, but Luke grabbed it from his fingers.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Yes, who is this? Do you realize what time it is?" Emily demanded.  
  
"I'm sorry, ma'am," Luke apologized. "Did I wake you?"  
  
"It's one o'clock in the morning, of course you didn't wake me!" Emily replied sarcastically. "Either you tell me who you are or I'm going to hang up this phone."  
  
Luke shot a dirty look at Dean, who gave him an apologetic glance. "It's Luke. I'm Lorelai's friend."  
  
"Is everything all right?" A note of alarm crept into Emily's voice. "Nothing's happened, has it?"  
  
"Everything's fine," Luke tried to assure her. "Can I talk to Lorelai?"  
  
Emily let out a long, exasperated sigh. "All right. I'll go get her."  
  
Luke thanked her, Emily set down the phone, there was a pause, and then Lorelai's voice was on the other end of the line. "Luke?"  
  
God, it felt good to hear her voice again. "Hi, Lorelai. How's Europe?"  
  
"It's good. Is everything all right?"  
  
"It's fine," Luke assured her. "Dean's here at the diner with me, and we thought we'd call and check up on the Gilmore girls."  
  
"Did you know it was one o'clock in the morning?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"I'm sorry," Luke apologized. "I didn't mean to wake everyone up."  
  
"Are you kidding?" Lorelai asked. "You're my new hero! You're my knight in plaid armor!"  
  
"You couldn't resist the plaid joke, could you?"  
  
"Come on," Lorelai teased, "you'd be disappointed if I didn't."  
  
"You're right," Luke admitted. He paused, wondering if he should say it. "I miss you."  
  
"I miss you too," Lorelai replied. "But I think this trip has been good for me."  
  
"Have you..." his voice trailed off, and he attempted to draw the courage to ask. "Have you thought any more about us?"  
  
"Luke, that's all I've been thinking about." Her voice was so soft that he could barely hear it. "And I appreciate your giving me this time away. It's helped a lot."  
  
"Okay." He wouldn't push any more. "Can I talk to you again soon?"  
  
"I'll call you tomorrow," Lorelai promised. "That way I can sneak the phone charges onto my mother's hotel bill."  
  
Luke grinned. "You never change, do you?"  
  
"You wouldn't want me to," Lorelai teased.  
  
"I wouldn't," Luke grudgingly admitted.  
  
"My mom's giving me the evil eye, so I should go," Lorelai told him with a trace of regret in her voice. "I think she wants to give me the third degree over why you're calling."  
  
"Ouch," Luke winced. "Serves you right for going away and leaving me here by myself."  
  
"Very funny. I'll call you at two o'clock your time, okay?"  
  
"Wait," Luke interrupted. "Dean wants to talk to Rory."  
  
"Okay, I'm not even going to get into that one with you," Lorelai announced. "I think Rory and I have to have a talk tomorrow."  
  
"Lorelai, please," Luke insisted. "Don't hate him for what happened."  
  
"All right," Lorelai gave in. "Tell Dean that Rory will call him tomorrow afternoon. But I'm going to want to have a talk with him as well."  
  
"Okay," Luke agreed. "I'll tell him."  
  
"I've got to go," Lorelai said quietly. "Talk to you tomorrow?"  
  
Luke felt himself smiling. "Talk to you tomorrow."  
  
He hung up the phone and turned to Dean. "I've got good news and bad news for you. Which do you want first?"  
  
"Um," Dean thought for a moment. "The good news."  
  
"Rory's going to call you tomorrow," Luke told him.  
  
Dean beamed. "You're awesome! I owe you one."  
  
"Ah, but you haven't heard the bad news yet," Luke continued. "Rory wants to talk to you, but so does Lorelai."  
  
"Shit," Dean swore. "I'm sure she's not too pleased with me."  
  
"I agree, she can be scary, but you'll survive," Luke tried to assure him. "You're pretty tough for a kid."  
  
Dean smiled. "Thanks, Luke."  
  
Luke allowed himself to return the smile for a brief moment. "You're welcome. Now get out of here. I've got to close up."  
  
"All right," Dean agreed. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." 


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes:

As always, thank you to all my reviewers: smile1, Brandy, Nyla, Spuffyluvr, and Erin Kaye Hashet for your feedback and words of encouragement, as well as everyone who reviewed my odd little Lorelai/Christopher piece that I wrote instead of this chapter. But here it is, the next chapter, and it's up the night after! This is a Rory/Dean focused chapter, which I hope very much is in character for them. There's a Luke/Lorelai phone conversation that I might write as well for the next chapter if people want to see it, otherwise, I'll likely skip ahead a bit. Thoughts? Opinions?

Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!

* * *

The next afternoon, Dean was waiting impatiently for the phone to ring. He couldn't make up his mind whether he wanted it to ring so that he could finally talk to Rory, or hoping it wouldn't ring so that he could avoid speaking with Lorelai. There was so much he wanted to tell Rory, but what on earth was he going to say to her mother? At best he would get a much stronger version of the speech she'd given him four years ago when he'd first started dating Rory and Lorelai had threatened to have him chased through the streets by pitchfork-wielding citizens of Stars Hollow. And at worst...well, he didn't want to think about that. Intellectually he knew that it wouldn't be that bad, after all, Lorelai couldn't kill him. But if she didn't want him with her daughter, then he didn't have a chance with Rory.

The phone suddenly rang, much louder than Dean ever remembered it ringing. He paused by the receiver for a moment, allowing it to ring a second and then a third time. The suspense got the better of him and he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Dean?" It was Rory, thank the Lord, it was Rory. "Dean, is that you?"

God, it was good to hear her voice. "Rory! Hi! How's Europe?"

"I know I was just here last summer, but it's amazing," she rambled in that way of hers that he'd always found adorable. "You wouldn't believe how much history they have here, and I can't even begin to describe the cathedrals. I wish you could see them, there's no way you'll ever believe how beautiful they are unless you've been to one yourself."

"Yeah, I bet," he agreed. "Maybe you could send me a postcard or something."

"I will, but it's just not the same," Rory sighed. "But I can bring you something else! Is there anything you want in particular? Because they have some really good candy here that you can't get back home, and there's a store I found that sells really nice art prints if you'd rather have those instead."

"You haven't given up on the art, have you?" Dean sighed. "If I had a dollar for every art book you made me read I'd be the one touring Europe this summer."

"Come on, I know you liked them," Rory teased. It had been so long since she'd teased him like this and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it.

"All right, I did," Dean confessed. "It's really good to talk to you."

"You too," Rory agreed quietly. "I'm glad you called last night."

Dean laughed. "Actually, that was Luke. But I was there with him."

"Yeah, that's what my mom said," Rory told him. "She's in the other room talking to him now, actually."

That made Dean feel better for two reasons. He was happy for Luke, since he'd obviously missed Lorelai every bit as much as Dean had missed Rory. And, more selfishly, if Lorelai was talking to Luke then that meant she wouldn't be getting on the line to lecture him. "Did she tell you what's going on with them?"

"A bit," Rory admitted. "I think she really likes him."

Dean grinned to himself. "I'm willing to bet the feeling's mutual."

"So how have you been?" Rory asked.

He knew what she meant was, how were things with him and Lindsay. "I guess you could say they're pretty good," he answered carefully. "Lindsay's not going to sue for alimony, so I figured if I got a job that paid well, I could live at home and save up my money, and maybe go back to school in January."

"Do you think I'm a horrible person for being happy about that?" Rory asked, her voice suddenly soft and trembling a tiny bit.

He wished more than anything that she wasn't in Europe, that he could put his arm around her and tell her in person. "Rory, you couldn't be horrible if you tried."

"But I am horrible!" she cried. "I was so mean to you when we were together and then I ran off to Europe and left you to deal with everything by yourself! You're the nicest person I know and I keep doing awful things to you!"

"Rory, don't say that," Dean protested. "No one's perfect, and we both made mistakes. Lindsay and I wouldn't have worked out, regardless of what we did. We just weren't right for each other."

"I still feel awful that she was the one who got hurt," Rory said. "She didn't do anything wrong."

"It was my fault," Dean protested. "It wasn't fair of me to marry her when I wasn't over you."

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Do you really mean that?"

He'd already said it, there was no sense in backing out now. "Yes, Rory, I meant every word of it."

"Dean, a lot has happened to us since we broke up," Rory began softly. "We're not the same people we were then. But...if you wanted to, then when I get back, we could start getting to know each other again."

He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this happy. "I'd really like that, Rory."

"I'm really glad you called, Dean," she told him. "It's good to—" She broke off, and Dean heard muffled voices in the background. "Dean, my mom wants to talk to you now. Is that okay?"

He gulped. If he had a choice, he'd rather put it off until a later date, preferably forever, but he didn't have a choice and at least he'd get it over with. "Sure. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Of course," Rory promised. "And don't be afraid. Mom won't hurt you. I don't think."

He would have preferred a more optimistic pep talk, but Rory was saying goodbye to him and then Lorelai was on the other end of the line. "Hello, Dean."

"Hi, Lorelai." So far, so good. He hoped that Luke had put her in a good mood.

"Luke told me to go easy on you," she continued. "He said you looked terrified when he told you last night that I wanted to talk to you."

"I don't know about terrified," Dean protested. "Nervous, but I wouldn't call it terrified."

Lorelai laughed. "I don't know whether to be hurt or flattered. I never knew I had that kind of power."

"Of course I'm nervous," Dean insisted. "Rory thinks the world of you and I'd never have a shot with her if you hated me."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Dean," Lorelai told him. "I think the two of you did something very stupid and irresponsible that night, and both of you should have known better."

"I know," Dean admitted. "I feel awful about hurting Lindsay like I did, and I hate that you're disappointed in her and hate me, but I want you to know that I've never felt toward any girl what I feel for Rory and I would never hurt her."

"Dean, I'm going to be honest with you," Lorelai began. "I liked you. I thought you were a good kid with a good heart, and I trusted you with my daughter. Now that trust is broken, and I don't know if I can get it back."

Dean's heart sank. "Lorelai, I'm sorry."

She sighed. "Dean, let me finish. I said that I don't know if I can get it back. Not that I'll never get it back. There's a lot you're going to have to prove to me, but you're what Rory wants and all I want is for her to be happy."

He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until now. "Lorelai, you're not going to regret this."

"Well, you're lucky," she told him, her voice slightly teasing. "You caught me in a good mood. I suppose I'll see you when Rory and I get back."

"Thanks, Lorelai," he replied.

"Goodbye, Dean." She hung up and he replaced the receiver, grinning to himself. This was turning out to be a pretty great day.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes:

I suppose this chapter was inevitable. Jess had to come up at some point, given that he's Luke's nephew, and I hope I handled it okay. I actually like him as a character—he grew on me during Season Two—although I'm not a fan of him and Rory together. Thanks, as always, to my reviewers, and on to Chapter Nine!

* * *

Luke was wiping down the counters after the dinner rush when Dean came in that night. He'd had a great conversation with Lorelai earlier that afternoon, and from the look on the boy's face, it appeared as if Dean's talk with Rory had gone equally well.

"Dude, I don't even know how I can begin to thank you," Dean began, still grinning from ear to ear.

"For one, you can stop calling me dude," Luke answered, but Dean knew he was kidding. "And I didn't do anything you need to thank me for."

"Are you kidding?" Dean asked. "You were the one who called Lorelai! None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you!"

"All right," Luke agreed, "but you had to face Lorelai Gilmore after sleeping with her daughter. That's braver than anything I've ever done."

"It wasn't that bad," Dean shrugged. "I think you put her in a good mood."

"It looks like Rory did the same for you," Luke observed.

"She says she wants us to get to know each other again when she comes back," Dean told him, still unable to believe his luck. "I think we can make it work this time."

"I think you're right," Luke agreed. "I have to admit, I really misjudged you at first."

Dean laughed. "You mean when you put me in a headlock to keep me from coming in the diner that time?"

"I thought you were a selfish little punk," Luke admitted. "But I was wrong."

"That was obviously before Jess came along," Dean joked. An uneasy silence fell, and he regretted his words. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's okay." Luke brushed aside Dean's words. "Just forget about it."

"I mean it," Dean insisted. "I forgot that he was your nephew."

"I said it's fine," Luke replied. "I just don't think it's such a good idea for us to talk about Jess."

"Okay." Dean held up his hands. "I'm sorry."

"He's not such a bad kid," Luke told him. "It's easy to get the wrong impression about him if you don't know him that well."

"The wrong impression?" Dean repeated, dumbfounded. "He's never been anything but nasty to anyone who tried to help him!"

"That's not true," Luke insisted. "There's a lot of good in him. Yes, he's young and irresponsible, but he's a really bright kid and he has a lot of potential."

"Luke, he took a swing at me when I was trying to keep him out of trouble! He took Rory from me and then left her without even saying goodbye!" Dean argued. "Was he even grateful for everything you did for him?"

"As a matter of fact, he was!" Luke retorted. "And he didn't just take Rory from you! She made her own choice. Jess didn't kidnap her."

Dean breathed in sharply, feeling as if Luke had slapped him. "You don't know what it's like," he said slowly. "You don't know what it's like to love a girl more than anything in the world and have her throw you away for some jerk who makes her cry and then leaves her without saying goodbye."

"I think I know more than you give me credit for," Luke said frostily. "How do you expect to make things work with Rory if you can't accept her past? You can't have a relationship if you don't come to terms with what happened with Jess."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's great advice, coming from a man who waited nineteen years before he told Lorelai that he loved her."

He regretted his words as soon as he'd said them. Luke winced, and his eyes looked honestly wounded. He wanted to apologize, but he didn't want to say that Luke had been right. Most of all, he wanted to get out of there. "I should go."

Luke gave him the briefest of nods, then turned his attention back to the tables, lining up the salt and pepper shakers and straightening the stacks of menus. Dean paused for a moment, then left.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes:

This is the final chapter of this story. I wanted to finish before the new season starts, and it looks like I made it just under the wire! Thank you to Nyla, Daisy Deertree, smile1, pokey, Spuffyluvr, Erin Kaye Hashet, Brandy, JsparrowzMate13, Drowning in Misery, dork1147, ilovemrbloom, OTHlover04, JanieSternin, Leni, SGOU, Ashlyn, LOTRluva, Lula Bo, LilYellowDucky20, SlayerKitty00 and Luke Rules for your reviews and words of encouragement and for making this such a great experience.

* * *

The week passed slowly, much more so than the previous ones had gone. Lorelai and Rory were coming home on Sunday, which could account for part of it, but Dean knew that it mostly had to do with Luke. He hadn't realized how much he'd come to appreciate having a friend who knew exactly what he was going through until he'd gone and ruined it. And yet in spite of that, Dean kept his distance from the diner. He was sorry about what he'd said about Luke, but that didn't mean that Luke was right about Jess. It was so stupid, really. Jess Mariano had ruined his relationship with Rory, and now, in a way, he'd ruined his friendship with Luke as well.

And yet there was something Luke had said that made sense the more he thought about it. Not the part about Jess being a good kid—Dean didn't know if he could ever believe that, but what Luke had said about needing to accept Rory's time with Jess if he wanted to make their relationship work. Like it or not, Jess was a part of who Rory was, just as Lindsey was a part of him. And so he thought about it, and while he considered bringing it up the next time he talked to Rory, he knew that he'd end up getting upset over the subject and fighting with her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He finally brought it up on Saturday afternoon, the day before Rory was scheduled to come home. They had been talking for ten minutes or so, discussing options for when to get together after Rory came home and after they'd agreed on dinner at Al's and a movie, Dean brought up the subject of Jess.

"I know this is a sore subject with us," he began, "but we're not the same people when we dated last time, and I think it's important that we can accept the other people who've been in our lives."

There was a slight hesitation on Rory's end of the line. "Dean, what are you saying?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm saying that I know that your experiences with Jess are part of who you are, and I'm okay with that."

"Thank you," Rory said softly. "It means a lot to me, Dean."

"I can't wait to see you," Dean told her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but he knew she wasn't ready for that yet. Maybe soon, though. He felt sure that the time would come when he could again tell Rory that he loved her, and that she would say it back.

After he and Rory hung up, Dean walked over to the diner. Luke was serving Kirk at one of the tables by the window, so Dean nodded to him and took a seat at the counter. He took a menu and studied it intently for the next few minutes, until Luke finished with Kirk and came back over.

Dean looked up and gave him a nervous smile. "Hi, Luke."

"Dean," Luke acknowledged him. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you," Dean blurted out. "It won't take long."

"Okay," Luke nodded. "Do you want to come upstairs where it's a bit more private?"

Dean nodded and followed Luke up to his apartment. He politely refused Luke's offer to get him something to drink, and told him what he'd come over to say. "Luke, I'm sorry about what I said last week. You've been my friend during the craziest time of my life, and I was an idiot for getting mad at you over something so stupid. I know Jess is your nephew, but I hope that won't keep us from being friends."

"I'm sorry too," Luke admitted. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

"Friends?" Dean asked hopefully, putting out his hand.

Luke grinned and shook it. "Friends."

"I don't know what I would have done without you this summer," Dean told him. "The Gilmores really know how to drive a guy crazy."

"Oh, this has been easy," Luke replied. "I'm willing to bet they'll be a lot worse after they're home."

Dean laughed. "I think you're right."

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" Luke asked.

Dean shrugged. "I didn't have any plans."

Luke grinned and held up a piece of paper. "My itinerary tells me that the Gilmore girls are arriving in New York at two thirty-six tomorrow afternoon. I was thinking we could drive down and surprise them at the airport. How does that sound to you?"

"Perfect," Dean told him. "It sounds perfect."

They were there at JFK International Airport the following afternoon at two thirty, having driven down that morning in Luke's truck. It had been Dean's idea to get flowers, and when Lorelai and Rory walked out past the security checkpoint and saw them standing there, Luke and Dean were practically knocked down by the enthusiasm of their greeting. Lorelai hugged Luke and Rory hugged Dean and they exclaimed over the flowers and how sweet it was for them to come all the way down to New York to surprise them like this. Lorelai announced that she was hungry, with Rory chiming in to agree. Luke and Dean exchanged knowing looks.

"How long was that?" Luke asked.

Dean checked his watch. "Seven minutes. I owe you five dollars."

"You owe him five dollars for what?" Lorelai demanded.

Dean looked down to keep from laughing. "We made a bet on how long it would take before the two of you were hungry. Luke had two to eight minutes, and I had nine to fifteen."

"Luke!" Lorelai whined, smacking his arm. "That's mean!"

"Yeah!" Rory echoed, smacking Dean.

"Ow!" Dean whimpered, rubbing his arm. "That hurt."

"I'm sorry," Rory apologized immediately, resting her head on Dean's shoulder.

"Me too." Lorelai did the same with Luke.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Luke asked Dean.

Dean nodded. "I think we can."

"Since when did the two of you become so chummy?" Lorelai asked.

"Any guy crazy enough to take on a Gilmore needs a friend to back him up," Luke answered. "Right, Dean?"

"Right," Dean agreed.

"It's good to be home," Lorelai murmured to Luke.

Luke slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her. "I couldn't agree more."


End file.
